Taxpayers will have to bear the cost of sabotage and protests that delay work on the $7.5 billion Solomon Hochoy Highway extension to Point Fortin, says National Infrastructural Development Company (Nidco) president Dr Carson Charles. Responding to Sunday’s fire bombing of a crane used for piling at OAS Construtora’s Guapo camp site, Point Fortin, by French firm Solateng, Charles said Nidco would now have to bear the cost for police to guard worksites between Point Fortin and La Brea.
“These are thugs, I would believe, who are trying to shake down the contractor and Nidco because it was said that they demanded compensation. This means they are demanding money for Christmas.” Charles said it was the contractor’s responsibility to secure all its facilities and equipment and it has the support of a private security firm hired by Nidco.
Although the new expense comes from the highway budget, he said he did not foresee a cost overrun. He said police security would continue until OAS felt it was no longer necessary and there was no more disruptions by vandals. Work did not resume at the site yesterday as Charles said the crane needed to be replaced. He said it was not destroyed as reported and could be repaired.
Point Fortin mayor Clyde Paul ruled out any possibility of sabotage by Point Fortin residents, saying he believed there is a war between local contractors. Paul said the crane had not been functional as no work on the highway was being done in the past weeks.
“Junior Sammy had his equipment burnt and SIS as well. It’s only big-name contractors had their equipment destroyed by fire. I don’t know who did it. The police will have to tell me that. I think it can be that people are not satisfied with OAS or Nidco for whatever reason,” Paul said in a telephone interview.
frequent attacks
Third incident in a month
Works and Infrastructure Minister Dr Surujrattan Rambachan said he met with National Operation Centre director Commander Garvin Heerah and ACP in charge of crime Carlton Alleyne to discuss a series sabotages of projects under his ministry. Within the past four months, heavy-duty construction equipment worth millions has been destroyed and damaged at Matura, Valencia, Caroni and now Point Fortin.
Rambachan said those matters all required investigation and action needed to be taken. National Security Minister Gary Griffith said all resources were being used to solve the investigations. “I don’t know what the tipping point is but there is definitely a trend. This is the third time within the last month or two that there have been incidents like this. “Whether they are related that is yet to be seen. If this is so, it has to be based on evidence, so I can’t say at this time whether there is a link.”